Senator Loren Legarda has reaffirmed her commitment to marine conservation and women鈥檚 empowerment during the 鈥淏lue Horizons 鈥� Accelerating the UK-Philippines Partnership for a Sustainable Blue Economy鈥� panel discussion at The Conservatory, Manila Peninsula Hotel, Makati City. The panel was hosted by the British Embassy in Manila in honor of the visit of UK Foreign Secretary Rt. Hon. David Lammy.
Senator Loren Legarda has reaffirmed her commitment to marine conservation, sustainable development, and women鈥檚 empowerment during the 鈥淏lue Horizons 鈥� Accelerating the UK-Philippines Partnership for a Sustainable Blue Economy鈥� panel discussion at The Conservatory, Manila Peninsula Hotel, Makati City.
Hosted by the British Embassy in Manila in honor of the visit of UK Foreign Secretary Rt. Hon. David Lammy, the panel discussion focused on advancing biodiversity and ocean protection.
As a principal author and sponsor of the Blue Economy Bill, Legarda underscored the need to ensure proper ocean accounting and environmental valuation, stressing that economic sustainability and ecological conservation must go hand in hand.
鈥淗ow can a Filipino, born in an archipelago where 64 out of 82 provinces are coastal and where more than 32,000 kilometers of shoreline define our nation, not see the ocean as central to our identity and survival?鈥� Legarda said.
The four-term senator emphasized that the Blue Economy Bill was designed to complement the Philippine Environment and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS), another law she championed.
鈥淭he Blue Economy Bill, complemented by the PENCAS Law, ensures that we track, measure, and assign value to our coral reefs, mangroves, and coastal resources. Only by doing so can we fully understand what we own and what we must protect,鈥� she said.
However, Legarda warned against attempts to dilute the Blue Economy Bill.
鈥淚 will not allow its core principles be mangled, destroying the natural habitat of fish and abandoning our fisherfolk,鈥� she said.
The event also marked International Women鈥檚 Day, highlighting the vital role of women in ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries. When asked how women鈥檚 voices can be better heard in these discussions, Legarda emphasized the need for greater economic access, financial support, and the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS).
鈥淎s the author and sponsor of the People鈥檚 Survival Fund (PSF), I want to ensure that more women in local communities, particularly in coastal areas, gain access to funding without excessive bureaucracy,鈥� Legarda said.
She called for concrete solutions, including providing women with greater financial access through agencies like the DTI, DENR, and DA, ensuring that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in coastal areas receive support.
She also stressed the importance of documenting IKS to preserve and pass down traditional marine conservation practices.
Additionally, she highlighted the need to equip women with better tools by using resources from the PSF, Biodiversity Fund, and Shared Services Facilities (SSF) program to provide fishing boats, nets, cold storage, and tuna processing facilities鈥攑articularly in tuna-rich areas such as the 鈥淭una Highway鈥� in her home region.
Legarda further emphasized the need to invest in education, technology, and innovation to empower women in marine-based industries, citing her authorship of the Philippine Innovation Act as a key mechanism to support women鈥檚 entrepreneurship and skills development.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much to be done, but the first step is breaking barriers to access,鈥� Legarda said. 鈥淥nly by equipping women with education, capital, and innovation can we truly build a resilient and inclusive Blue Economy.鈥�
The panel discussion precedes the 5th UK-PH Climate and Environment Dialogue on March 12 and the UN Ocean Conference in June, where both the Philippines and the UK are expected to deepen their commitments to ocean conservation, blue carbon ecosystems, and sustainable fisheries management.